Soap opera star Kristoff St. John found dead at 52
Kristoff St. John, who starred in the soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” was found dead in his home Sunday. He was 52.
His fiancee, Kseniya Mikhaleva, confirmed his passing on Instagram.
“How did it happen ??? How ??? Why did you leave so early ???? and left me alone ... .. I can’t believe,” she wrote Monday. The two announced their engagement in September.
St. John’s attorney, Mark Geragos, also confirmed the news in a moving Twitter post.
“Few men had the unique strength, courage & sensitivity that @kristoffstjohn1 lived every single minute of every day. He impacted everyone he met and millions who he inspired and in turn admired him,” Geragos said. “On behalf of @MiaStJohnBoxer & @TheStJohnFamily thank you for all of your love.”
Police were called to St. John’s San Fernando Valley home after friends asked they check on him, according to TMZ. His body was found inside, the site reported.
There was reportedly no sign of foul play, however alcohol may have played a role.
St. John was best known for his decades-long role as Neil Winters on the soap. Since joining the show in 1991, he has been nominated for more than a dozen NAACP Image Awards and six Emmys.
In 1993 and 2008, he won the Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, respectively.
His death comes about four years after son, Julian St. John, committed suicide in a mental health care facility in Long Beach. He was 24.
Julian St. John had long struggled with schizophrenia and addiction, his mom, boxer Mia St. John, wrote on her website. Both Kristoff and ex-wife Mia filed filed a wrongful death suit against the facility, claiming that they lied about how often they checked on Julian.
“His legacy will live on in our hearts and for those that continue to suffer from this insidious disease. My ex-wife Mia, Julian’s sisters Paris and Lola and I, are all devastated beyond words and belief,” St. John said in a statement.
The actor reportedly underwent psychiatric treatment back in October 2017 following a “scare regarding his mental health,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
“I want the world to know the truth about what is happening with Kristoff, because currently there is inaccurate, and fabricated information being reported by certain online outlets. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and for those who do, it is a nightmare that haunts you forever,” she said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “The death of our beloved son Julian, has taken a toll on both of us. He is an actor and while he may appear whole on the outside, his heart is broken. As a society we need to start taking mental health seriously and realize that no one is immune.”
Just two weeks before his death, St. John retweeted a Twitter post about losing a child.
“Grieving the loss of a child is a process. It begins on the day your child passes, and ends the day the parent joins them,” one user wrote.
“Never a truer word was spoke,” St. John replied. “Thanks for posting this.”